Statistical machines



March 27, 1956 c. T. A. JONES 2,739,867

STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed NOV. 19, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l @w 9 6 MHIHUII "TILJ SNDJU IIIIH|||| f Ha March 27, 1956 c. T. A. JONES 2,739,867

STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor March 27, 1956 c. T. A. JONES 2,739,867

STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed Nov. 19, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor fsw/nfs 7/70ms/IPr/fz/P don/5 United States Patent() 2,739,867 STATISTICAL MACHiNEs Charles Thomas Arthur Jones, Wallington, England, as-

sgnor to Powers-Samas Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application November 19, 1953, Serial No. 393,119

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 27, 1952 6 Claims. (Cl. 346-146) This invention relates to statistical machines of the kind in which data is recorded under control of actuating members operated by impulses received from the transmission elements of a connection box, the transmission elements of which are actuated by operating members responsive to the sensing of data from a record.

As is well understood in the art, a record which is employed to control a machine of the kind above mentioned may consist of a record card or it may be a tape and the term record when used herein is deemed to include any form ot record device which may be employed to control the operation of a statistical machine.

In some kinds of statistical machines, for example a machine in which printing is eifected under control of records fed to the machine, there is provided between the recording means and the sensing apparatus for sensing data from a record a device known in the art as a connection box, such box including transmission elements to transmit sensed data to the recording means. In some instances, data sensed from a record is to be recorded in the columnar order in which it is sensed from a record, while in other instances the columnar order of recording is to be diierent from that of sensing. To meet these requirements it is usual for a connection box to be provided for each class of work, the boxes being interchangeable in the machine with which they are to co-operate. It will, however, be understood that the boxes cannot be interchanged during the operation of the machine without interrupting the operation of the machine and if both classes of work are to be performed it has, heretofore, been necessary to complete one class before commencing the second, thus requiring that the records be fed at least twice through the machine. For convenience herein the term straight wiring will be employed to identify the transmission elements of a connection box by which recording is effected in the columnar order of sensing and the term cross wiring will be employed to identify the transmission elements of a connection box by which recording is effected in a columnar order different from that of sensing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means whereby there may be employed in a statistical machine a duplex connection box including both straight wiring and cross wiring, selection of the particular wiring for use at any given time being controlled by the records passing through the machine. One example of the use of such a duplex box is when one record to be sensed comprises a four-line name and address requiring cross wiring and the succeeding records to be sensed contain items requiring the use of straight wiring.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section and with parts 7 broken away, of one end of apparatus constructed u1 accordance with the invention.

0 A sensing operation is performed 2,739,867 Patentedv Mar. 27, 1956 machine. The printed records to be produced are statements comprising a heading consisting of a four-line name and address all sensed from a single card followed by a succession of lines of item entries each of which is sensed from a separate record card fed through the machine in succession to the card containing the name and address. As is customary, the numerical and alphabetie data is recorded on the cards by perforations formed in vertical columns on the cards, each vertical column containing twelve data-indicating positions. In order to transmit the four-line name and address from the record card to the printing mechanism there must be employed a connection box using cross wiring whereas the transmission of the item sensing is to be effected by straight wiring. The means for sensing the record cards is assumed to be of the well known kind which consists of axially movable sensing pins and as the printing mechanism is also well known in the art neither of these two mechanisms will be described herein.

Referring to the drawings, a duplex connection box 1 is disposed between the printing mechanism and the sensing mechanism and contains a set of straight wires 2 and a set of cross wires 3 which in the drawings are illustrated as rigid wires or rods, but which may, as will be well understood, comprise flexible wiring such as Bowden wires. The wires 2, 3 constitute two sets of transmission elements each of which consists of a plurality of rows of wires of which each row, as shown in Fig. l, consists of twelve wires, one for each data-indicating position of a vertical column of a card. Each set of wires is to control the recording of data in a dilerent pre-determined manner and, in accordance with the invention, selection means controlled by the record cards is operable selectively to position a set of operating members 4 for co-operation with one or other of the sets of transmission elements 2, 3.

The operating members 4 comprise axially reciprocable pins, one for each transmission element of a set, the pins being supported for axial movement by a frame which consists of a rectangular frame member 5, Figs. 1 and 2, to which is secured an upper plate 6 and a lower plate The pins 4 are movable axially between the plates '6 and 7, and are urged towards the lower plate 7 by springs 8, Fig. l. The frame supporting the pins 4 is itself supported by fixed supports 9 one at each side of the machine, each support 9, as shown in Fig. 2, being grooved to receive a tongue 10 projecting from a frame member 5 so that the frame is reciprocable as indicated by the double-headed arrow in Fig. l. In the normal position of the frame the pins 4 are, as shown in Fig. 1, located beneath the straight wires 2 for co-operation therewith and the extent of reciprocation of the frame is such that the pins 4 are moved thereby from the position shown in Fig. 1 to a position at which they are aligned withthe cross wires 3 to co-operate therewith.

The frame supporting the pins4 is urged towards the normal position thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, by springs 11 surrounding pins 12 which extend from a frame member 5 and are slidable in bores formed in a xed bar 13. once during each revolution of the main shaft 14, Fig. 3, of the machine and movement of the frame against the. action of springs 11 is, unless interrupted'asdescribed below, eiected during ea'clrrevolution"of'theunairrshaft*141W acam; not shown; secured to the main shaft 14 and operating a link 15, Figs. 1 and 2, the upper end of which is pivoted at 16 to an arm.1.7 pivoted'at18and"to'whichat 19 is pivoted an'operating arm 20.- The 'operating arm'20 co-operates' with' a=roller 21 carried'fbyan'armiZZsecured to a rocking shaft 23 towhich'isalso'securedfa rocking arm 24' carrying a roller 25 to engage the frame member 5. During each' revolution of mainshaft" 14, and prior to a sensing operation, thel catrrmoves upwards the link 15 thereby causing 'operatng'arm'zto be pulled downwards thus rocking'shaft 23-clockwis`eg as'viewed inl Fig. l, sok that theroller 25on`rocking arm' Z4 moves the frame 5" maly or 'rst position" thereof; asshownin Fig. l, to the' second position thereof f at' which theepins 4`- are aligned withthe crosswi'res '3;' Ifasignal from a pre-sensing unit, not shown', has-not'beenreceived by trip means compris inga'rlatch 26the springsfllwill'restore the frame 'to theA first-position thereofso that when the'card has travelled from'the pre-sensingunitand's located in sensing relation-with-the sensing meansI controlling the operationlof the pins-4,l on=sensingof the cardithepins 4"will co-operate with the straight wires 2.l

As stated above, thesensingmeans comprises axially movable sensing' pinsgnot shown, and the sensing pins are arranged to' effect vertical movement-of barsr B, Fig;

l,- lwhichfin turn' effect axial'movement of pins 4. Axial movement of pins 41- is"-' impartedl to' the WiresrZ, 3, as appropriate, and' theseiwires' in'- turn" transmit the' axial movement to stops-S in af stop*y basket which, in known manner, controls .the1 printingf'mechanism.

If'.` as Ithe result Tof 'the operation' of? the -pre'sensing--unit a signal is-receivedl bythe.latch.26,'the'=latch is moved counter-clockwise, as'viewedrin'r Fig. l, and while' the link;15 is. inzthe'upper. position lthereof will be positioned" beneath an abutment. 27 carried-bythe link thusprevent-A ing..downward" movement of! the link. With latch 26I positioned. beneath. abutment 27 the link' 15V is not permittedtomoveadownwardscandfthe pins 4iwill beretained in thesecond.'positionthereof soi that they, on`

operationof .the bars.- B; .co-operatewith` the'cross.=wires 3.'- In some'circumstan'ces. it maybe required to retain'vthe pins 4in thefsecond position:thereoftfor two .revolutionsofzthe main shaft-14,.thatistwosuccessive card sensing operations, or'it mayfbedesiredtoretain themin-the second position. for. threezsuch revolutionswor', as inv thef instanceswhere afour-line.vr name;l and address'is'ltofbef sensed from a single card, the pins 4 must beretainedliir the second position :thereof: for fourl.succesisve-Srevolutions of the main a shaft*y 14. I't-.willg therefore; .bei` understood` that Aas Ythefcam t for operatingxlink.1'5permitsfrestorationof thelink during eachrevolution'iof. the.main shaft.14;

the latch.26 must vbe controlledtovretainthe linkiintherA uppermost.. position thereof. for. the.' required: number of revolutions of shaft/14:V The-nlechanisrnfordeterminingv the numberl of revolutions: of .main shaft 14 during which' the link 15 remainsl latched in.'-itsuppermostposition comprisesfthedelay unit showrtfinrl'fig.` 3.

ReferringA to Fig.: 3; thesdelay unit-.comprises frarne members 28 in -.which isemountedfa spindle4 29.- Supported by the. spindle` 29- arerthree gear wheels 30, 31, 32, thev gearwheelsbeing spaced apart along-thefaxis offspindle 292and..freely= rotatable onzthe spindle; The gear wheels 30,. 31, 32. areY continuously.` rotatedV by gearfwheels 33: secured. to :shaft 14,- connectionbetween4 theA gear: wheels:

33: and the gear wheelsi 3t'l,-,31,.32y being; effectedby trains of idler gears 34,335: Thefratioof.theqgearsitk` 31', 32.1is Ysuchthat'th'e :angular velocity thereof `inzrelation to the angular velocity; ofthefmainvshaft 14':is 1:2-, 1:3; and l:4-respectively.

For. each ofthegea'riwheels 30,31*,.32 there-is prof vided a-clutehdog 361freelyfrnounted onzspindle29: For

clarity;there-isfshown'irLFig; 3 only. thefclutch .dogsforz gear: wheel 32 andxthefmechanisma cosoperatingiwitlr' the:

dog for gear wheel 32. To each clutch dog 36 is secured atrip'cam37 to "beeangularly movable withthe dog, each4 trip cam co-operating with a trip lever 38 appropriate thereto and pivoted on a spindle 39. Also pivoted on spindle 39 is an arm 4d carrying a trip bar 41 which is movable, against the actionofaspring 41a, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, by the clockwise movement of any one of the three trip levers 38. The

latch 26 isfreely pivoted on a spindle 42, to'which issecured a spring'anchorl arm 41b, and has a tail 43 engaged by the bar 41; Clockwise movement of the bar 41 effects counterfclockwise movement of the latch 26 to position it beneath the abutment 27 on the link 15 when the link isinithe uppermost'position thereof.

Each of the gear wheels 3i), 31,. 32 supports clutch pawls pivoted\at.45 for co-operationwith the clutch dog 36 appropriate thereto. The clutch pawls 44 are equi-spaced and the number of pawls carried by a gear wheel is'Y equal to thenumber of timesby which. the

angular velocity of the-particular gear wheel is less :than that of the main shaft. Thus, as shown .in Fig. 3,-.the

gear wheel 32, the ratio of which is 1:4.with respect to themain shaft14, carries four clutchpawls 44. In

the interests of clarity, the pawls for the. gears 30 and.

31 are. not shown, but it will be understood that the gear.` wheel 31 carries'three equi-spaced pawls andthe.

gearwheel 30 carries two equi-spaced pawls.

For each of the. gear wheels 30, 31, 32 there isprovided a clutch arm 46' freely pivoted on a spindle 47V andcontrolled bya spring 48' normally to trip the clutch.

pawls 44 so. that they do not operatively engage the clutch dogs 36.as-the gear wheels arev rotated. Each of the clutchv arms46 is controlledby a Bowden wire 49 individual thereto,.the Bowden wires being operable by` the above mentioned pre-sensing device so that on.

the sensingrof a control hole in a record. card in one of. three. positions thereon the appropriate one of the Bowden wires 49. will be operated to impart a signal to the delay unitandto move its clutch arm 46 clockwise, as. viewed in Fig. 3, about the spindle 47. When a clutch arm 46is rocked by its Bowden wire 49 the next: pawl 44 to approach the trip tooth 50 on the clutch..

arm is not tripped by the tooth out of the path ofits clutch dog and'accordingly co-operates therewith toeffect rotation of the clutch dog.

beneath the abutment 27'on link 15. The, trip.cam.37.

under control ofzclutch 36,' 45 makesone complete. revo-zV ltionandlthus, according as toY which vof .the gear wheels 30, 31,2 32-is driving, prevents restoration of. 1ink.15

fortwo, three, or four revolutions vof shaft14.

Each of the trip cams 37 is provided witha laterally. extending pin 51.whichA co-operates. with. a spring-.com trolleddetentarm SZprovided to retainthe clutchdogs 36 in the correct neutral positions thereof.

I'claim:

l. A statistical machine comprising a main shaft to control operation ofthe machine, control membersto controlrecordingof numerical and alphabetic data, a.

connection box including a set of straight wires and a set. of cross wires of4 which one straight wire and one cross. wire. co-operate with. each control member and.

Rotation of the clutch. dogalso causes rotationof the trip cam 37. secured theretothus operating the trip lever 38 co-operating therewithA and,.through trip bar 41 causes latch 26 tobe. positioned.

erating members comprise axially reciprocable pins, supported by a frame slidable in a direction normal to the axes of the pins to position the pins for co-operation with a set of wires, and the selection means includes frame reciprocating means operable prior to a record being presented to the position at which it will control operation of the operating members to effect movement of said frame from a rst position thereof at which the pins are positioned for co-operation with one set of wires to a second position at which they are positioned for co-operation with the other set of wires, and record controlled trip means co-operating with said frame reciprocating means temporarily to prevent the restoration of the pins from the second to said tirst position thereof.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein the frame reciprocating means includes a rocking arm to effect movement of the frame from the first to the second position thereof, an operating arm to rock said rocking arm, a link cam operated from said mainshaft to etect operation of the operating arm, and an abutment carried by said link for co-operation with said trip means.

4. A machine according to claim 3, including a delay unit for co-operation with said trip means to determine the number of successive record sensing operations during which the return of the wires to said rst position thereof is prevented.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the delay unit includes a trip bar to effect actuation of said trip means, a plurality of trip levers operable independently to effect operation of the trip bar, a trip cam for each said trip lever, a spindle common to said trip cams and about which the cams are freely rotatable, a gear wheel for each said trip cam to etect rotation thereof, each said gear wheel being continuously rotatable about said spindle and arranged to drive its trip cam at a predetermined angular velocity in relation to that of said main shaft and at an angular velocity dilerent from that at which the others of the cams are driven, a clutch device to couple each said gear wheel with the trip cam to be driven thereby, and a clutch arm for each clutch device normally to render the clutch device inactive and operable under record control to render the clutch device active.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein each coupling device comprises a clutch dog freely mounted on said spindle, and equi-spaced clutch pawls movable with the gear wheel appropriate thereto, said pawls being in number equal to the number of times by which the angular velocity of the gear wheel is less than that of the main shaft and normally tripped out of co-operation with the clutch dog by the clutch arm appropriate thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,780,884 Lebeis Nov. 4, 1930 2,044,121 Lasker June l5, 1936 2,550,079 Mixer Apr. 24, 1951 

